With so many new features on offer and a change in user needs we knew it was time to act. The Asset Bank team partnered with IPPF to review the system configuration and deliver a refreshed and streamlined system.

How Asset Bank helped

IPPF signed up to an Asset Bank healthcheck, a consultancy package that guides administrators through a comprehensive evaluation of the way they are using Asset Bank that results in the system being re-configured to meet the needs of your users.

We held an initial scoping meeting with IPPF administrators to assess the current setup, look for key pain points, and understand what they wanted to achieve for their users. We identified several issues, including a complex Group structure that was difficult to manage, duplication within the category structure, and duplication of assets themselves across the system. Despite the best efforts of the IPPF admin team to keep metadata accurate and comprehensive, the difficult-to-use category structure resulted in a poor user experience.

Implementing the changes

After the initial assessment, we worked through a series of actions to implement the changes that were needed. A key aspect was to convert the existing 'Categories and Access Levels' into 'Folders', making it easier for administrators to configure their Groups based on the folder location of the assets.

We worked together to carry out a thorough de-duplication process to remove old versions of assets with incorrect metadata, followed by implementing a new Folder structure to more easily browse these assets.

A range of Asset Bank features, such as advanced search and metadata imports and exports, were used to support the re-categorisation of thousands of assets that were previously difficult to find.

We also limited access to a subset of more sensitive content to a smaller number of users. Key content is now showcased on the homepage using a new saved search that highlights key images and news items are used to communicate additional information.

"Working with Stewart in the support team was great. He really helped get the best out of the consultancy package identifying areas for continual improvement and managing a lot of the more challenging technical aspects."

The Results

IPPF’s updated and refreshed Asset Bank has increased user engagement across the organisation. Latest images are now showcased on the homepage and the modernised interface brings a fresh, new energy to the DAM system.

IPPF also benefited from:

• A full review and audit of Asset Bank
• A new and improved folder structure
• Removal of all image duplicates
• Reassessed access levels to protect sensitive content

"We have been using Asset Bank for a number of years now and have just benefitted from the Healthcheck package, upgrade and refresh of the latest features. This process has only enhanced what is already a great product and resource for storing, archiving and sharing valuable assets across a large international organization."